Egg Research and Consumer Information Act
Public Law 93-428 · H.R. 12000 · 93rd Congress · began in the House
Signed by Gerald Ford (R) on Oct 1, 1974 · Agriculture and Food
Sponsor: Rep. Ed Jones (D-TN-7)
Cosponsors (24): Rep. Bill Alexander, Rep. Robert Bergland,
Passage votes
- HouseMethod not stated
- SenateMethod not stated
Data notes
The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Egg Research and Consumer Information Act - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to authorize and enable the establishment of an orderly procedure for the development and financing of an effective and continuous coordinated program of research, consumer and producer education, and promotion designed to strengthen the egg industry's position in the marketplace, and maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets and uses for eggs, egg products, spent fowl, and products of spent fowl of the United States.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to issue orders applicable to persons engaged in the hatching and/or sale of egg-type baby chicks and started pullets, the production of commercial eggs, the processing and distribution of commercial eggs, and the purchase, sale, or processing of spent fowl. Provides that a hearing shall be held on a proposed order before it is issued.
Directs that orders issued pursuant to this Act shall contain one or more of the following terms and conditions, and no others: (1) providing for the establishment, issuance, effectuation, and administration of appropriate plans or projects for advertising, sales promotion, and consumer education with respect to the use of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, and products of spent fowl, and for the disbursement of necessary funds for such purposes; (2) providing for, establishing, and carrying on research, marketing and development projects, and studies with respect to sale, distribution, marketing, utilization, or production of eggs, egg products, spent fowl, and products of spent fowl, and the creation of new products thereof; (3) providing that hatchery operators, persons engaged in the sale of egg-type baby chicks and started pullet dealers, persons engaged in the production of commercial eggs and persons who receive or otherwise acquire eggs from such persons and who process, prepare for market, or market such eggs, including eggs of their own production, and persons engaged in the purchase, sale, or processing of spent fowl, maintain and make available for inspection such books and records as may be required by any order issued pursuant to this Act, or (4) terms and conditions incidental to and not inconsistent with the terms and conditions specified in this Act and necessary to effectuate the other provisions of such order.
Requires that orders issued pursuant to this Act shall contain the conditions set forth in this Act.
Provides for the establishment and appointment, by the Secretary of Agriculture, of an Egg Board and defines its specified powers and duties.
Requires the Egg Board to develop and submit to the Secretary for his approval any advertising, sales promotion, consumer education, or research and development plans or projects, and that any such plan or project must be approved by the Secretary before becoming effective.
Provides that each egg producer shall pay, to the handler of eggs designated by the Egg Board, an assessment based upon the number of cases of commercial eggs handled for the account of such producer, in the manner as prescribed by the order, for such expenses and expenditures as the Secretary finds are reasonable and likely to be incurred by the Egg Board under the order during any period specified by him.
Provides that the Secretary shall conduct a referendum among egg producers to ascertain whether the issuance of an order is approved by such producers.
Provides that no such order issued pursuant to this Act is effective unless the Secretary determines that it is approved by the egg producers.
Provides that any egg producer against whose commercial eggs any assessment is made under this Act and who is not in favor of supporting the programs as provided for by this Act shall have the right to demand and receive from the Egg Board a refund of such assessment.
Provides for petition and review of any order issued pursuant to this Act.
Provides penalties for willful violation of orders issued pursuant to this Act.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to make such investigations as he deems necessary for the effective administration of this Act or to determine if violations of this Act have occurred. Provides the Secretary with the power of subpoena.
Authorizes the appropriation of such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
Data notes
A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 11 actions.
- Oct 1, 1974Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- PresidentPresident · Public law 93-428.
- Sep 19, 1974PresidentPresident · Measure presented to President.
- Sep 17, 1974Resolving differencesResolving differences · House agreed to Senate amendments.
- Aug 22, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed Senate, amended.
- Aug 20, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- May 16, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee
- May 15, 1974FloorFloor · Measure passed House, amended, roll call #223 (302-90).House roll call 223
- May 10, 1974CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Agriculture Committee
- Dec 18, 1973CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Agriculture Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes
Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.